Radio frequency identification controlled heatable objects

ABSTRACT

A temperature controlled heatable object is provided in which a temperature sensor is connected to a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag. The RFID tag is located within the handle of the object, and the temperature sensor is placed in contact with the object. In a first embodiment of the invention, the temperature sensor is partially imbedded within the object via a notch located in the side of the object. In a second embodiment of the invention, a temperature sensor is imbedded within a tunnel drilled within the base of the object. In a third embodiment, a temperature sensor is imbedded between the bottom of the object and a slab attached to the bottom of the object. The sensor can be located in a slot formed in either the slab or the bottom or the object. Handles and receivers for mounting the handles to the temperature controllable objects are also provided.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.10/833,356 filed Apr. 28, 2004 by Mamoru Imura, now U.S. Pat. No.______, titled Radio Frequency Identification Controlled HeatableObjects, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is broadly concerned with temperature regulatedcookware and servingware items, such as pots, pans, buffet serving pans,serving dishes, platters, and the like. More particularly, the inventionis concerned with cookware and servingware objects that are temperatureregulated using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology andtemperature sensors associated with the objects. An RFID tag, which isassociated with a temperature sensor, includes information regardingheating characteristics of the particular object. The RFID tag transmitsthe information regarding the heating characteristics of the object aswell as temperature reading information to a reader located within acookware appliance, which are used by the cookware appliance to regulatethe temperature of the cooking process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cooking is often referred to as an art, not only because of thecombination of ingredients that go into a particular recipe, but alsodue to the skill necessary for proper application and infusion ofvarying levels of heat over a given period of time throughout thedifferent phases of the food preparation process. Traditional cookwareappliances, such as ovens (microwave ovens being an exception), grills,heat lamps and stoves, all utilize the thermodynamic process ofconduction to transfer heat from the outer surface of the food item toits interior. This is generally true regardless of the type of heatsource used to heat the surface of the food, be it a radiation heatsource (i.e. a heat lamp), conduction heat source (i.e. a stovetop), ora convection heat source (i.e. a convection oven or a food dehydrator).

The time and temperature necessary to cook fully and properly a specificfood item through conduction is dependant upon the thermal conductivityof the item, the uncooked temperature of the item (i.e. frozen, roomtemperature, etc.), as well as the size and shape of the item. A fooditem having higher thermal conductivity will cook faster than asimilarly sized and shaped food item having a lower thermalconductivity, as the heat will more quickly migrate from the outersurface to the interior. Likewise, a generally smaller or thinner fooditem will cook faster than a generally larger or thicker food item ofthe same thermal conductivity, as the heat must migrate a shorterdistance through the thinner item. Frozen items require considerablymore heat to cook than do non-frozen or thawed items. While increasingthe cooking temperature for an item will increase the amount of heatthat migrates from the surface to the interior of a food item, applyingtoo much heat at one time will result in cooking the outer surface ofthe item faster than the heat can migrate to the interior, usuallyresulting in burning or scorching of the surface and undercooking of theinterior. Therefore, obtaining real-time information regarding thetemperature of the item being cooked, during the cooking process isoften beneficial to ensure proper heating.

The use of thermometers or other temperature sensors to monitor andcontrol the cooking process is well known. A common thermometer used tomonitor and control the cooking process is a probe-type or contactthermometer which is inserted directly into the food item to obtain atemperature of the interior of the food item. Such thermometers areundesirable for many cooking applications. For, example, when cooking inpots or pans using a lid, the use of a probe-type thermometer requiresremoval of the lid each time a temperature reading is taken. Continuousremoval of the lid during cooking reduces the transfer of heat to theitem being cooked, and often results it a detrimental loss of moisture.In addition, the use of contact thermometers usually require manualadjustment of the power of the cooking appliance to obtain and maintaina desired temperature. Not to mention the probe-type thermometer is yetanother cooking instrument that must be located and properly used duringthe often complex cooking process. To overcome the disadvantagesassociated with contact thermometers, a number of cookware-associatednon-contact thermometers have been developed that are attached to, orincorporated into, cookware objects such as pots and pans. Suchnon-contact thermometers are often in communication with the cookingappliance to control the power level based on the temperature reading.Nevertheless, as discussed below, none of these non-contactthermometers, which control the cooking process solely based upon thetemperature of the cookware object, provide a means of obtainingconsistent and accurate measurement and control of the temperature ofthe food item being cooked within the cookware object.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,178 to Harnden, Jr. describes a non-contactthermometer placed in thermal contact with an inner wall surface of aninner cup of a cookware object, located between the inner cup and anouter cup in which the inner cup is nested. The inner cup is constructedof a ferromagnetic material that can be heated by an induction coillocated in an induction cook-top appliance. Maintaining a stableconnection between the temperature sensor and the inner wall of theinner cup is difficult due to thermal expansions and contractions duringheating and cooling of the pot. In addition, a large temperaturedifferential may often exist between the inner wall of the inner cup andthe outer wall of the inner cup, particularly when extremely cold itemsare placed within the cookware object while the inner cup is beingheated. This large temperature differential makes an accuratedetermination of the temperature of the food item within the potdifficult, if not impossible to obtain when the temperature reading istaken at the inner wall surface of the inner cup.

In the cookware object taught by Harnden, Jr., the field produced by theinduction coil for heating the object also powers the temperature sensorwhich transmits temperature information to the cook-top appliance viaradio frequency to control heating of the cookware object. Although suchan arrangement works with induction heating appliances, the temperaturesensor of Harnden, Jr. is inoperable when used with a traditional gas orelectric stove which heats the cookware object by conduction.Furthermore, the nested cup design of Harnden, Jr., which includes a gapbetween the inner wall surfaces of the inner and outer cups filled witheither thermal insulation material, air or vacuum, is inefficient forconducting heat from the outer cup to the inner cup, making use of thecookware object of Harnden, Jr. with traditional appliances undesirableeven if use of the temperature sensor is utilized.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,900 to Smrke describes a non-contact temperaturesensor that attempts to overcome many of the disadvantages of Harnden,Jr. by inclusion of a temperature sensor mounted to the exterior surfaceof a lid of cookware object. The temperature sensor of Smrke transmits,either via radio frequency or via wire, temperature information to acookware appliance to control heating of the cookware object. AlthoughSmrke asserts that a determination of the temperature on the lid of acookware object is ideal for controlling cooking because suchtemperature is dependant upon heater power, pot type, food quantity,etc., Smrke does not provide an accurate means of determiningtemperature of the food item within the cookware object. Furthermore, asdiscussed above, maintaining a stable connection between the temperaturesensor and a surface of the cookware object to which the sensor isattached is difficult due to thermal expansions and contractions duringheating and cooling of the object.

Both Harnden, Jr. and Smrke teach cookware objects that are temperatureregulated solely by the temperature obtained by the temperature sensors.While temperature information from the object is important, it is oftennot sufficient to obtain a desired regulation temperature within adesired period of time. For example, it is well known that the powerapplied to an object placed upon an induction cook-top depends greatlyupon the distance between the object's ferromagnetic material and thework coil of the cook-top. Should an object require a particulargraduated power application to prevent overheating of some parts of theobject while reaching the desired regulation temperature throughout theobject, it is essential that the proper power be coupled to the object.Furthermore, most practical heating operations require that theprescribed regulation temperature be reached within a maximum prescribedtime. This restraint makes it even more important that proper power beapplied during each temperature gradation. A means to correct forinconsistent power coupling that is based upon comparisons between powermeasurements and stored power coupling data is essential to achieveconsistent heating operations and accurate temperature regulation.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,320,169 to Clothier, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference, teaches the use of a Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) tag attached to an induction heatable object totransmit information (typically about a heating characteristic of theobject) to a control system of an induction heating device. RFID is anautomatic identification technology similar in application to bar codetechnology, but which uses radio frequency instead of optical signals.RFID systems can be either read-only or read/write. For a read-onlysystem such as Motorola's OMR-705+ reader and IT-254E tag, an RFIDsystem consists of two major components, a reader and a special “tag”.The reader performs several functions, one of which is to produce alow-level radio frequency magnetic field, typically either at 125 kHz orat 13.56 MHz. The RF magnetic field emanates from the reader by means ofa transmitting antenna, typically in the form of a coil. A reader may besold in two separate parts: an RFID coupler, including a radioprocessing unit and a digital processing unit, and a detachable antenna.An RFID tag also contains an antenna, also typically in the form of acoil, and an integrated circuit (IC). Read/write systems permit two-waycommunication between the tag and reader/writer, and both the tag andthe reader/writer typically include electronic memory for the storing ofreceived information.

Although Clothier discloses that RFID controlled objects can be eithercookware or servingware objects, all of the objects disclosed byClothier are in the form of servingware objects, such as plates andcups. Such objects, which are designed to keep food that has alreadybeen cooked at an adequate serving temperature, are subjected tosignificantly lower temperatures and usually heated for shorter timeintervals than are pots, pans and other cookware items, i.e.approximately 250 degrees Fahrenheit for servingware versusapproximately 900 degrees Fahrenheit for cookware. Therefore,servingware objects have fewer design constraints than do cookwareobjects. For example, each of the servingware objects disclosed byClothier include RFID tags located in the base of the objects, thermallyinsulated from the heating element or heatable portion of the object.The RFID tag is thermally insulated from the heatable portion of theobject due to the limited operating temperatures for most RFID tags. TheRFID tag is located in the base of the servingware objects disclosed byClothier so as to be positioned parallel to and within a range ofseveral inches from the RFID reader/writer located in the inductionheating device to enable communication between the tag and thereader/writer during heating of the object. Nevertheless, locating anRFID tag in the base of a cookware object such as a pot or pan, makesadequate thermal insulation difficult to obtain. In addition, even ifsufficient thermal insulation is provided, such insulation prevents thecookware object from being heated by traditional cook-top appliances,such as gas or electric stoves conduction stoves as the RFID tag islocated directly in the heat-generation zone (i.e. the area directlyabove the heat source—such as the gas or electric burner for traditionalheating appliances, or the induction coil for induction heatingappliances—in which the energy used to heat the object is directed) forthe object.

The RFID servingware objects disclosed by Clothier are primarilytemperature regulated using heating algorithms based upon the heatingcharacteristics transmitted from the object to the induction heatingdevice. Clothier further discloses the inclusion of temperatureregulation switches in combination with the RFID tag to better regulatethe temperature of the object during heating. The temperature switchesdisclosed by Clothier operate to prevent or alter the transmission ofinformation from the RFID tag to the induction heating device controllerwhen the thermal switch experiences a predetermined temperaturecondition. Thus the temperature switches disclosed by Clothier do notprovide the ability to obtain a temperature reading other than providingconfirmation that the predetermined temperature has been exceeded. Thisresults in a finite number of temperatures, based upon the number oftemperature switches, to which the object can be accurately regulated.While such a finite number of predetermined temperatures is acceptablefor servingware objects that function to keep already cooked food warm,cookware items, such as pots and pans require a much broader range ofregulation temperatures. In fact, cooking of a single item can oftenrequire heating in several phases at varying temperatures.

The RFID controlled servingware object combined with temperatureswitches disclosed by Clothier is in the form of a sizzle platetypically used in restaurants. The temperature switches, which areconnected to the RFID tag are placed in contact with the undersurface ofthe cast iron plate. While such an arrangement may be adequate for lowertemperature servingware such as the sizzle plate, the problemsassociated with maintaining a stable connection to a surface of theheatable object discussed above still exist.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the instant invention is to provide a temperature regulatedobject (or item). Another object of the instant invention is to providea temperature regulated item that can be used for as servingware,cookware, and the like. Yet another object of the instant invention isto provide a temperature regulated item in which a temperature readingtaken of the item is utilized in regulating the item's temperature.Another object of the instant invention is to provide a temperatureregulated object in which the temperature reading provides an accurateindication of the temperature of the food being heated within the itemwithout contacting the food. Still another object of the instantinvention is to provide a temperature regulated item in which thetemperature reading provides an accurate indication of the temperatureof the food being heated within the item, and which can be used withtraditional or induction heating devices. Another object of theinvention is to provide a temperature regulated item having atemperature sensor contacting a heatable portion of the item. Yetanother object of the present invention is to provide a temperatureregulated item having a temperature sensor contacting a heatable portionof the item that is capable of regulating the item to an wide range oftemperatures. Still another object of the instant invention is toprovide a temperature regulated item having a temperature sensorcontacting a heatable portion of the item, wherein the item is suitablefor high temperature applications such as cooking. Another object of thepresent invention is to provide a temperature regulated item including atemperature sensor contacting a heatable portion of the item, whereinthe connection between the sensor and the heatable portion of the itemis capable of withstanding thermal expansion and contraction duringheating and cooling of the item. An other object of the instantinvention is to provide a temperature regulated item that having atemperature sensor contacting a heatable portion of the item, whereinthe connection between the sensor and the heatable portion of the itemis capable of withstanding thermal expansion and contraction duringheating and cooling of the item, and which is capable of utilizingheating characteristics other than a temperature reading to regulatecooking temperature for the item.

The above described objects are achieved using a temperature regulatedobject including a heatable body, a temperature sensor and an RFID tag.The temperature sensor contacts the heatable body of the object, and isconnected to the RFID tag by a pair of wires. The RFID tag acts as atransmitter (and sometimes as receiver) to communicate with areader/writer located in a cook-top for heating the object, providingtemperature information and other information regarding the object (suchas heating characteristics) to the cook-top. The temperature informationand the heating information is used by the cook-top to control thetemperature of the object.

An illustrative embodiment of the instant invention is described inwhich the heatable object is a cookware object such as a pan. In a firstembodiment of the invention, the temperature sensor is partiallyimbedded within a notch located in the side and toward the bottom of thepan, placed in contact with a conductive core of the pan. Partiallyimbedding the sensor in the body of the pan provides an improvedconnection between the sensor and the heatable body of the pan that ismore capable of withstanding thermal expansion and contraction caused byheating and cooling of the pan. In addition, the partially imbeddedtemperature sensor is located closer to the interior of the pan and thefood item being cooked, providing a more accurate reading of thetemperature of the food item than is possible by measuring thetemperature of the bottom surface of the pan, which will be influencedby the heat source. Furthermore, by partially imbedding the sensor, itis possible to utilize pan walls that are thinner than the diameter ofthe sensor.

In a second embodiment of the instant invention, the temperature sensoris imbedded within a tunnel that is formed in the bottom wall of thepan. In a preferred embodiment the pan in manufactured in a manner knownin the art, and the tunnel is then drilled into the base of the pan. Aswith the side-notch embodiment, the bottom tunnel provides increaseddurability of the connection between the temperature sensor and theheatable portion of the pan, and places the temperature sensor closer tothe interior of the pan. In addition, the bottom tunnel permits thetemperature sensor to be located at the center of the pan where one ofthe hottest temperatures for the pan is obtained and is very robustagainst a dislocation of the pan from the center of the heating object,like a center of induction coil or center of halogen heater or center ofelectric heater and so on.

In a third embodiment of the instant invention, the temperature sensoris imbedded between the bottom of the pan and a slab connected to thepan bottom. One variation of this slab-bottom includes a slot formed inthe slab for placement of the temperature sensor and associated wires.This allows for placement of a temperature sensor at the center of thepan base, even when the pan walls are relatively thin (thinner than thediameter of the sensor). Another variation of the slab bottom includes aslot formed in the bottom of the pan itself. In this embodiment, thetemperature sensor is positioned closer to the interior of the pan.

The RFID tag is located within a cavity formed in the handle of the panof the instant invention to position the tag outside of theheat-generation zone for the pan. This reduces the temperature to whichthe tag is subjected, maximizing the life of the tag. Ramped guidechannels are located within the cavity to guide the RFID tag into aproper assembled location. The handle holds the RFID tag parallel to thecook-top surface for maximum signal strength during operation. Theinventive handle includes a releasable spring-clip connection betweenthe handle and a receiver for supporting the handle.

The receiver of the instant invention supports the handle. A windowbetween a pair of opposing supports maximizes the strength of the signaltransmitted between the RFID tag and the reader/writer by minimizingobstruction of the RFID tag antenna. In a preferred embodiment of theinvention, the receiver includes an injection port for injecting apotting material into a tunnel or slot in which the temperature sensorin located. In alternative preferred embodiments, a rigid rod or tube isconnected to the receiver and the temperature sensor to aid in insertionof the sensor in the tunnel or slot during assembly.

The foregoing and other objects are intended to be illustrative of theinvention and are not meant in a limiting sense. Many possibleembodiments of the invention may be made and will be readily evidentupon a study of the following specification and accompanying drawingscomprising a part thereof. Various features and subcombinations ofinvention may be employed without reference to other features andsubcombinations. Other objects and advantages of this invention willbecome apparent from the following description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustrationand example, an embodiment of this invention and various featuresthereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best modesin which the applicant has contemplated applying the principles, are setforth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and areparticularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appendedclaims.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a RFID controlled frying panof the instant invention in which a temperature sensor is positioned ina notch in the side of the pan.

FIG. 2 is a partial top plan view of the RFID controlled frying panshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial section view taken along line A-A of FIG. 2 showingthe notched side and corresponding temperature sensor in detail.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a receiver for connecting a handle tothe frying pan shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a rear elevation view of the receiver of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a frontal perspective view of the receiver of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a handle for the frying pan shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is an end view of the handle shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a RFID controlled sauce pan ofthe instant invention in which a temperature sensor is positioned at thecenter of the base of the pan.

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a RFID controlled frying panof the instant invention in which a temperature sensor is positioned atthe center of the base of the pan.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a RFID controlled pot of theinstant invention in which a temperature sensor is positioned at thecenter of the base of the pot.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a RFID controlled frying panof the instant invention in which a temperature sensor is positioned atthe center of the base of the pan through the use of a tunnel extendinginto the base of the pan.

FIG. 13 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of a receiver forconnecting the RFID housing handle to any of the pans shown in FIG. 9through 11.

FIG. 14 is a rear elevation view of the receiver of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a detailed perspective view of the pan of FIG. 12 showing anotch for accepting a end tab of a receiver.

FIG. 16 is a detailed perspective view of the pan of FIG. 15 showing areceiver assembled with the notch.

FIG. 17 is a partial section view of the pan of FIG. 12 fully assembledshowing the tunnel, receiver and corresponding temperature sensor indetail.

FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a slabbottom pan having a slot in the base of the pan.

FIG. 19 is a partial section view of second embodiment of a slab bottompan having a slot in the slab, showing a first embodiment for areceiver.

FIG. 20 is a partial section view of second embodiment of a slab bottompan having a slot in the slab, showing an alternative embodiment for areceiver.

FIG. 21 is a partial perspective view of the receiver presented in FIG.20.

FIG. 22 is a partial section view of second embodiment of a slab bottompan having a slot in the slab, showing another alternative embodimentfor a receiver.

FIG. 23 is a partial perspective view of a second embodiment of a slabbottom pan having a slot in the slab, showing another alternativeembodiment for a receiver and a stamped-tunnel slot.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosedherein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely exemplary of the principles of the invention, which may beembodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functionaldetails disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, butmerely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis forteaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the presentinvention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

The instant invention is concerned with temperature regulated objects inwhich a temperature reading from the object is transmitted to acontroller for a heat source. The controller for the heat sourceutilizes the temperature reading to control the amount of heat appliedfrom the heat source on the object to control a cooking process. In apreferred embodiment of the instant invention, other information aboutthe object, such as identification information or heatingcharacteristics for the object, are transmitted to the controller of theheat source. This other information, along with the temperature reading,is utilized by the controller of the heat source in regulating thetemperature of the object during the cooking process.

Preferred embodiments of the instant invention are described herein inthe form of temperature regulated cookware objects, such as pots andpans; it will however be appreciated that the instant invention relatesto all temperature regulated objects including cookware objects as wellas servingware objects. In addition, the instant invention relates tocomponent parts of temperature regulated objects. In a preferredembodiment, the temperature regulated objects of the instant inventionare intended to be used in connection with a Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) controlled induction heating appliance, similar tothat discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,320,169, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference. Nevertheless, it will be appreciatedthat temperature regulated objects intended to be heated by RFIDcontrolled traditional cookware appliances (i.e. gas and electricstoves) are included within the scope of the instant invention.Furthermore, the scope of the instant invention includes temperatureregulated objects utilizing non-RFID alternative means of transmittingobject heating characteristic information and temperature readinginformation to a cookware appliance which are now known or laterdiscovered.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, a first embodiment of an RFID controlledcookware object, in the form of a frying pan is shown. FIG. 1 shows anexploded view of cookware object 10 including pan body 20, primaryhandle 40, and secondary (helper) handle 50. Primary handle 40 isconnected to pan body 20 via bracket/receiver 30. Spring clips 80releasably secure primary handle 40 to receiver 30 through theengagement of clip ends 82 with holes 32 in receiver 30. Helper handle50 is connected to pan body 20 via bracket 55. An RFID tag, 60, isconnected to temperature sensor 70 via a pair of wires, 72. RFID tag 60is stored in a cavity located within handle 40. Wires 72 extend from theinterior of the cavity through a portal 34 of receiver 30 to sensor 70which is generally located between receiver 30 and the exterior of panbody 20 within notch 22 formed into the side of pan body 20.

Pan body 20 is fabricated from materials and manufactured by means wellknown in the art. Types of materials commonly used for fabrication ofpan body 20 include, but are not limited to, cast iron, stainless steel,aluminum, aluminum alloys, copper, copper-clad stainless steel, etc. Ina preferred embodiment, pan body 20 is fabricated to be used forinduction cooking. Although a number of materials can be utilized forfabrication of a pan body capable of induction heating, the constructionof a multi-ply body comprising layers of several different materials isquite common. The specific material used for each ply or layer, thethickness of each layer, and the total number of layers will varydepending upon the size, shape, desired appearance and desired heatingcharacteristics of the pan. In an exemplary embodiment, pan body 20 is a5-ply construction, including a first layer of magnetic stainless steelforming the interior cooking surface of the pan, a second inner-layer of3003 pure aluminum, a third inner-layer of 1145 aluminum alloy, a fourthinner-layer of 1145 aluminum, and a fifth layer of magnetic stainlesssteel forming the exterior surface of the pan. The two surface layers ofmagnetic stainless steel provide strength, durability, easy cleaning anda long-lasting, attractive appearance to the pan body. The exteriorsurface layer of magnetic stainless steel builds up heat generated froma stove cook-top (either by conduction in a traditional stove, or byinduction utilizing the ferromagnetic properties of the steel in aninduction stove)generally at the center of the base of the pan body. Thethree layers of aluminum and aluminum alloy, which form an aluminum corefor the pan, absorb heat quickly from the exterior layer of steel, andsmoothly and evenly distribute the heat through conduction across thebottom and sides of the pan body to the inner layer of steel.

FIGS. 4 through 6 show detail views of receiver 30 for use with the RFIDcontrolled cookware object shown in FIGS. 1 through 3. Receiver 30includes support members 36 for engaging handle 40. Spring clips 80frictionally engage with support member 36 to releasably secure handle40 to receiver 30. Support members 36 of receiver 30 perform severalfunctions, one is to support handle 40 in the manner described above, another is to increase and/or concentrate the transmission signal strengthbetween tag 60 and a reader/writer located below the surface of acook-top. The transmission signal is increased and/or concentratedthrough the use of window 37 that is formed between the lower interioredges of opposing support members 36. Window 37 provides a generallyunobstructed transmission zone between tag 60 and the reader/writer ofthe cook-top. The size and shape of window 37 is adjusted based upon theparticular arrangement of the antenna of pan tag 60 to help tune thetransmission signal by reducing obstruction between the antenna of pantag 60 and the antenna of the reader/writer located in the cook-top.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show detail views of receiver 30 in attached engagementwith pan body 20, wherein handle 40 has been removed. Receiver 30includes member 39 extending downward from support members 36 to thebase of pan body 20. Channel 38 is formed in member 39 to permit wires62 and sensor 70 to be located in the cavity created between member 39of receiver 30 and pan body 20. Member 39 covers notch 22 and sensor 70which is located in notch 22. Notch 22 is machined (EDM, CNC, etc.) intothe side of pan body 20 exposing the aluminum core and permittingcontact of the aluminum core by sensor 70. The lower-most portion ofmember 39 extends beyond the bottom of sensor 70 and inward to surroundsensor 70 and provide a clean, generally flush base for the assembledcombination of pan body 20 and receiver 30.

Receiver 30 is manufactured of a metal such as steel, aluminum alloy, orany other material suitable for supporting handle 40 to pan body 20. Inthe preferred embodiment described herein, in which pan body 20 isheated by induction, receiver 30 is manufactured from anon-ferromagnetic material, such as non-magnetic stainless steel, toreduce the possibility that receiver 30 will be heated by the magneticfield of the cook-top. Receiver 30 includes recess 33 which correspondsto a locator (not shown) protruding from pan body 20. The combination ofthe locator and recess 33 ensures proper alignment of receiver 30 overnotch 22 during assembly and throughout the life of cookware object 10.In a preferred embodiment, receiver 30 is welded or braised to pan body20 for a long-lasting, durable connection, and channel 38 is filled witha potting material, such as a high temperature silicone like Loctite®5406, to protect the exposed aluminum core of pan body 20 and to securesensor 70 within notch 22. To aid in an automated braising process,receiver 30 includes a number of nubs (welding/braising lugs) 35protruding from the back surface of the receiver, which contact theouter surface of pan body 20 when receiver is properly positioned overnotch 22. Nubs 35 are formed of a material having a lower melting pointthan the material used to manufacture receiver 30, allowing nubs 35 tobe melted for braising by applying heat to the surface of receiver 30opposite nubs 35, without melting receiver 30.

Tag 60 is located within end 42 of handle 40. To position tag 60 withinoperating range from the reader/writer located within the cook-top,receiver 30 locates handle end 42 relatively close to the base of panbody 20. On most cookware items, such a placement of handle end 42 ismuch lower than normally utilized. In many instances, low placement ofthe handle on a cookware object can make the object difficult to handleand even unsafe, especially when the cookware object is used ontraditional stoves-tops in which the burner surface gets extremely hot.To provide safer and easier handling of pan 10, handle 40 curves upwardfrom end 42 to end 44. This allows the cook to grasp handle 40 at end 44without being too close to the surface of the cook-top.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show handle 40 apart from pan 10. End 42 of handle 40includes section 46 that is cut away in relief to permit handle end 42to engage with receiver 30. In addition, the relief cutaway results in aflush outer-surface connection between handle end 42 and receiver 30,giving pan 10 a clean professional appearance. Cutaway section 46further includes an additional relief-cut graduated ramp and groove oneach side of handle 40 for receipt of spring clips 80. Grooves 48 arecut partially into the top of handle 40 and extend down each side to thebottom of handle 40. Ramps 49 are cut into each side of handle 40,originating from grooves 48 and sloping upward to the end of handle 40.Spring clips 80 are positioned into grooves 48 and ramps 49 on each sideof handle 40 such that end 84 of each spring clip fits within groove 48,the main body of each spring clip extends generally along ramp 49, andopposing end 82 of each spring clip curves downward from handle 40 atthe pan-side end of handle 40. As is discussed above, spring clips 80releasably secure primary handle 40 to receiver 30 through theengagement of clip ends 82 with holes 32 in receiver 30. Ramps 49provide room for lateral movement of ends 82 of spring clips 80 duringassembly and disassembly of handle 40 to receiver 30. Handle 40 can beremoved from receiver 30 by depressing ends 82 of spring clips 80through holes 32 of receiver 30 and simultaneously pulling handle 40away from receiver 30.

End 42 of handle 40 includes internal cavity 41 for housing RFID tag 60.Each side of cavity 41 includes a graduated guide ramp, 43, which slopesdownward from the pan-side end of handle 40 toward the interior ofcavity 41. Ramp 43 leads to channel 45 which extends into cavity 41.During assembly, RFID tag 60 is inserted into cavity 41 of handle 40,ramps 43, located on each side of cavity 41, guide tag 60 into channels45. When fully assembled, channels 45 hold RFID tag 60 generallyparallel to the cook-top surface, providing optimum signal transmissionbetween the antenna of RFID tag 60 and the antenna of the reader/writer.As any condensation or moisture within cavity 41 can harm tag 60, handle40 includes notch 47 located at the pan-side end to permit drainage ofany moisture that accumulates within cavity 41.

Although handle 40 can be constructed from any suitable material, handle40 is preferably molded of a phenolic resin commonly used for pot andpan handles of the prior art. Use of a phenolic resin to mold handle 40provides for quick and easy production of a unitary handle includingcutaway relief 46, grooves 48, ramps 49, cavity 41, notch 47 and allother components of handle 40. Use of alternate materials that are notsuitable for molding or casting would require machining of handle 40 toprovide such components as cutaway relief 46, grooves 48, ramps 49,cavity 41, and notch 47. In addition, a phenolic material providesminimal interference to the transmission between RFID tag 60 and thereader/writer in the stove-top.

As is shown in FIG. 3, sensor 70 is partially imbedded within the wallof pan body 20. Notch 22 extends slightly more than half way into thethickness of the wall of pan body 20, permitting sufficient contactbetween sensor 70 and the aluminum core of pan body 20, while alsomaintaining the integrity of the pan structure, particularly theintegrity of the interior cooking surface of pan body 20. Partiallyimbedding sensor 70 within pan body 20 basically provides three pointsof contact between sensor 70 and pan body 20, one at inner face 23 ofnotch 22, and one on each of sides 24 and 26 of notch 22. Such anarrangement maintains a more stable connection between sensor 70 and panbody 20 that is less impacted by thermal expansions and contractionsduring heating and cooling of the object, than is possible with surfaceconnections used in prior art devices. In addition, partially imbeddingtemperature sensor 70 into pan body 20 locates sensor 70 closer to thefood being cooked within object 10, providing a more accuratetemperature for cooking purposes than the prior art surface-mountedsensors.

In a preferred embodiment, temperature sensor 70 is a resistancetemperature detector (RTD), which changes electrical resistance with thechange of temperature. The electrical resistance of RTD sensor 70 ismeasured by RFID tag 60 which is connected to sensor 70 by wires 62.RFID tag 60 then transmits temperature information to the reader/writerlocated within the stove so that the power level provided by the stovecan be adjusted accordingly by a controller within the stove to maintainthe desired cooking temperature. The temperature information transmittedfrom tag 60 to the stove can be the resistance measurement, oralternatively, the actual temperature reading based upon the resistancemeasurement. In a preferred embodiment, tag 60 includes a microprocessorconnected to sensor 70 via wires 62. The microprocessor storesspecification information regarding sensor 70, such as a resistancemeasurement to temperature table, and using the resistance measurementobtained from sensor 70 along with the specification information,calculates the temperature. Tag 60 then transmits the temperature to thereader/writer in the stove-top to be used by control algorithms of thestove-top controller. In an alternative embodiment, tag 60 transmits theresistance measurement directly to the stove-top controller and thecontroller will calculate the temperature. In this embodiment, it willbe necessary for the stove-top controller to obtain specificationinformation regarding sensor 70 to calculate the temperature. Suchinformation can be stored in tag 60 and transmitted to the controlleralong with the resistance measurement.

The side-notch location of temperature sensor 70 described in connectionwith FIGS. 1 through 6, provides considerable versatility for materialsin construction of cookware object 10. In particular, the totalthickness of the walls of pan body 20 can vary in thickness regardlessof the diameter of sensor 70. As is seen in FIG. 3, sensor 70 can have adiameter greater than the total thickness of the wall of pan body 20,and partly protrude from the exterior surface of pan body 20. Such anarrangement is beneficial it situations in which it is desirable to haverelatively thin walls for the pan body. Nevertheless, the location ofthe temperature sensor at the side of pan body 20 does not provide theoptimum temperature reading for temperature regulation of the cookware.The optimum temperature reading is generally found at the center of thebase of the pan body, as this is where the food items are usuallypositioned, and also where the highest temperature reading will befound. When sensor 70 is positioned at the side-notch location, thetemperature at the center of the base of pan body 20 can be estimatedusing the conductivity constants for the materials of pan body 20. If itis desirable to obtain the exact (rather than estimated) temperature ofthe center of the base of the pan body, it is necessary to position thetemperature at the center of the pan body. FIGS. 9 through 23, discussedbelow, show several embodiments of heatable cookware objects, andrelated components, in which the temperature sensor is located at thecenter of the base of the object. In a first embodiment, the sensor ispositioned within a tunnel that extends into the center of the base ofthe object from the side of the object. In a preferred embodiment, thetunnel is drilled or machined in the object after the object has beenmanufactured. In a second embodiment, the sensor is within a tunnel thatis formed between the bottom of the object and a slab that is connectedto the bottom of the object.

FIGS. 9 through 11 show exploded views of three different types of pans,110, 210, utilizing either a tunnel (110) or a slab bottom (210) tolocate a temperature sensor at the center of the base of the pan. Whileboth the tunnel, 110, and the slab bottom, 210, embodiments enablelocation of the temperature sensor at the center of the base of pan 110,210, each embodiment provides several unique advantages. Tunnel pan 110results in pan body 120 having a unitary construction, and generallypositions the temperature sensor in relatively close proximity to thefood item being cooked, as opposed to slab bottom pan 220. Nevertheless,the wall thicknesses of pan body 120 will usually be thicker than thoseof pan body 220 and also pan body 20 of the side notch embodiment, 10,(discussed above), so as to allow the temperature sensor to become fullyimbedded in pan body 120. Other advantages of the various embodiments ofthe instant invention will become apparent through the followingdescription.

FIG. 9 shows an exploded view of cookware object 110, 210 including panbody 120, 220 in the form of a two quart saucepan or pot. Saucepan 110,210 also includes handle 40, which is of identical construction ashandle 40 discussed above. Handle 40 is connected to pan body 120, 220via bracket/receiver 130, 230. Spring clips 80 (identical to thosediscussed above) releasably secure handle 40 to receiver 130, 230through the engagement of clip ends 82 with holes 132, 232 in receiver130, 230. An RFID tag, 60 (identical to that discussed above), isconnected to temperature sensor 70 (identical to that discussed above)via a pair of wires, 72 (identical to those discussed above, but longerto extend to the center of the pan base). RFID tag 60 is stored in acavity located within handle 40. Gasket 90, made of high temperaturesilicone, is located between receiver 130, 230 and handle 40 tothermally shield tag 60 from radiating heat of the pan sidewall, aidingin maintaining the temperature within the cavity of handle 40 below thedesired maximum operating temperature of tag 60 (generally 100° C.).Wires 72 extend from the interior of the cavity through portal 94 ofsilicone gasket 90, through portal 134, 234 of receiver 130, 230,between receiver 130, 230 and the exterior of pan body 120, 220, and tosensor 70 which is generally located between at the center of the baseof pan body 120, 220.

FIG. 10 shows an exploded view of cookware object 110, 210 including panbody 120, 220 in the form of a frying pan similar to pan 10 discussedabove. Pan 110, 210 includes primary handle 40, and secondary (helper)handle 50, both of which are of identical construction as primary handle40 and helper handle 50 discussed above. Primary handle 40 is connectedto pan body 120, 220 via bracket/receiver 130, 230. Lateral member 139,239 of receiver 130, 230 shown in FIG. 10 is shorter in length toaccommodate the shallower frying pan of FIG. 10 than is the same memberfor the deeper pans shown in FIGS. 9 and 11. Spring clips 80 (identicalto those discussed above) releasably secure primary handle 40 toreceiver 130, 230 through the engagement of clip ends 82 with holes 132,232 in receiver 130, 230. Helper handle 50 is connected to pan body 120,220 via bracket 55 and screw 57. An RFID tag, 60 (identical to thatdiscussed above), is connected to temperature sensor 70 (identical tothat discussed above) via a pair of wires, 72 (identical to thosediscussed above, but longer to extend to the center of the pan base).RFID tag 60 is stored in a cavity located within handle 40. Gasket 90,made of high temperature silicone, is located between receiver 130, 230and handle 40 to thermally shield tag 60, aiding in maintaining thetemperature within the cavity of handle 40 below the desired maximumoperating temperature of tag 60 (generally 100° C.). Wires 72 extendfrom the interior of the cavity through portal 94 of silicone gasket 90,through portal 134, 234 of receiver 130, 230, between receiver 130, 230and the exterior of pan body 120, 220, and to sensor 70 which isgenerally located between at the center of the base of pan body 120,220.

FIG. 11 shows an exploded view of cookware object 110, 210 including panbody 120, 220 in the form of a four quart sauce pan/pot. Pot 110, 210includes primary handle 140, and secondary (helper) handle 150. Primaryhandle 140 is connected to pan body 120, 220 via bracket/receiver 130,230. Spring clips 80 (identical to those discussed above) releasablysecure primary handle 140 to receiver 130, 230 through the engagement ofclip ends 82 with holes 132, 232 in receiver 130, 230. Helper handle 150is connected to pan body 120, 220 via bracket 155 and spring clips 80.An RFID tag, 60 (identical to that discussed above), is connected totemperature sensor 70 (identical to that discussed above) via a pair ofwires, 72 (identical to those discussed above, but longer to extend tothe center of the pan base). RFID tag 60 is stored in a cavity locatedwithin handle 140. Gasket 90, made of high temperature silicone, islocated between receiver 130, 230 and handle 140 to thermally shield tag60, aiding in maintaining the temperature within the cavity of handle140 below the desired maximum operating temperature of tag 60 (generally100° C). Another gasket, 90, can also be located between bracket 155 andsecondary handle 150 to maintain a cooler operating temperature forhandle 150. Wires 72 extend from the interior of the cavity in handle140 through portal 94 of silicone gasket 90, through portal 134, 234 ofreceiver 130, 230, between receiver 130, 230 and the exterior of panbody 120, 220, and to sensor 70 which is generally located between atthe center of the base of pan body 120, 220.

Primary handle 140 shown in FIG. 11 is constructed in a similar mannerto handle 40 discussed above, the primary difference being thearrangement of the grasping ends 44 and 144 of handles 40 and 144,respectively. Handle grasping end 144 extends generally upward frompot-side end 142 of handle 140 and then extends outward away from potbody 120, 220. Grasping end 144 of handle 140 is generally shorter andtaller than grasping end 44 of handle 40 to accommodate the deeper poton which handle 144 is utilized. Generally, shorter handles positionedtoward the top of deeper pot bodies are customary in the art to providebetter aesthetics and handling of the deeper bodies. Pot-side end 142 ofhandle 140 is constructed in a manner identical to pan-side end 42 ofhandle 40, including (but not limited to) the relief-cutaway section,the spring retaining grooves and ramps, internal cavity and the drainnotch. Although helper handle 150 does not require an internal cavityfor housing an RFID tag, for ease of manufacturing, helper handle 150 isidentical to handle 140. In addition, bracket 155 can be identical toreceiver 130, 230. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 11, bracket155 is identical to receiver 130, 230, except that the unnecessarylateral member, 139, 239, is removed.

Referring to FIG. 12, an exploded, bottom perspective view of a pan,110, similar to that presented in FIG. 9, is shown in which tunnel 122extends to the center of the base of pan body 120. As discussed abovewith respect to FIG. 9, pan 110 includes handle 40 connected to pan body120 via bracket/receiver 130. Spring clips 80 releasably secure handle40 to receiver 130. RFID tag, 60, is connected to temperature sensor 70via wires, 72, and RFID tag 60 is stored in a cavity located withinhandle 40. Gasket 90 is located between receiver 130 and handle 40. In apreferred embodiment, tunnel 122 is drilled into the base of pan body120 after pan body 120 has been manufactured. In this manner, a widevariety of preexisting pan bodies can be utilized without the need ofspecial manufacturing processes for those bodies.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show detailed views of an embodiment of receiver 130,230 that can be used with any of the tunnel (110) or slab-bottom (220)pans discussed herein. Receiver 130, 230 is manufactured, operates, andis assembled to pan body 120, 220 in the same or similar manner as thatof receiver 30 discussed above. Receiver 130, 230 shall now be describedwherein like numbers (i.e. 30, 130, 230) represent similar components tothose of receiver 30. Receiver 130, 230 includes opposing supportmembers 136, 236 for engaging the handle, and window 137, 237 locatedbetween opposing support members 136, 236. Receiver 130, 230 alsoincludes lateral member 139, 239 extending downward from support members136, 236 to the base of pan body 120, 220. Channel 138, 238 is formed inmember 139, 239 to permit wires 62 to pass through the cavity createdbetween member 139, 239 of receiver 130, 230 and pan body 120, 220.Lateral member 139, 239 includes an end tab, 133, 233, that engages witha notch in the pan body or the bottom slab to provide a clean, generallyflush base for the assembled combination of pan body 120, 220 andreceiver 130, 230. The inclusion of end tab 133, 233 for insertion intoa notch located within the pan body, eliminates the need for locatorrecess 33 and the associated locator discussed above with respect toreceiver 30, as the combination of end tab 133, 233 and the notch in thepan body will ensure proper assembly. As with receiver 30, receiver 130,230 includes nubs 135, 235 for use in an automated welding/braisingassembly process. Receiver 130, 230 further includes injection port 131,231 near the bottom of lateral member 139, 239 for insertion of a needleor injector. Injection port 131, 231, which is not present in receiver30, allows for the injection of a silicone potting material, such asLoctite® 5406, to be injected into the tunnel or between the pan bodyand attached slab, protecting the internal layers of the pan and/or slaband securing the temperature sensor in position.

Although end tab 133, 233 shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 includes a generallycentral tab extending beyond the sides of end tab 133, 233 (as can beseen in FIG. 11), it will be appreciated that end tab 133, 233 can be ofany number of shapes and sizes to mate with a corresponding notch in thepan body. For example, FIGS. 15 and 16 show an embodiment of receiver130 for insertion into notch 124 of pan body 120 wherein end tab 133 ofreceiver 130 is generally flat. As is shown in FIG. 15, notch 124 iscut, machined or drilled into the perimeter surface of pan body 120 atthe end of tunnel 122. Although tunnel 122 shown in FIG. 15 is generallycylindrical, it will be appreciated that the shape of the tunnel mayvary depending upon the shape of the temperature sensor. End tab 133 ofreceiver 130 mates with notch 124 in pan body 120 to form a generallyflush connection between pan body 120 and receiver 130. Injection port131 in receiver 130 allows for insertion of a needle for injecting apotting material into tunnel 122 once receiver 130 has been assembled topan body 120.

FIG. 17 shows a partial section view of pan 110 presented in FIG. 12fully assembled. As is shown in FIG. 17, the diameter of tunnel 122 isslightly larger than that of temperature sensor 70. In addition thetotal diameter of wires 62 is less than the diameter of temperaturesensor 70. This provides enough space for insertion of a needle intotunnel 122 when receiver 130 is assembled to pan body 120 andtemperature sensor 70 and associated wires 62 are located in tunnel 122.The needle is inserted into tunnel 122 through injection port 131located at the base of lateral member 139 of receiver 130. As thepotting material fills tunnel 122, and surrounds temperature sensor 70and wire 62, the needle is removed and injection port 131 is closedusing a Laser, tig, or similar welding process.

Pan body 120 shown in FIG. 17 is constructed of a 5 ply material asdiscussed above. The layers of pan body 120 may however be thicker thanthose discussed above with respect to pan body 20, to allow temperaturesensor 70 to be fully imbedded within pan body 120. Tunnel 122 islocated within the aluminum core (the three internal layers of the panbody) so that temperature sensor 70 is in contact with the aluminumcore. In addition, the stainless steel layers (the two surface layers)are laminated on both sides of each layer to provide better corrosionprotection from possible exposure caused by tunnel 122 extending intopan body 120 from its exterior.

Referring to FIG. 18, an exploded, bottom perspective view of a pan,210, similar to that presented in FIG. 9, is shown in which slot 222 ismilled between the center of the base of pan body 220 to the perimeterof the base of pan body 220. Pan 210 includes a thin slab, 226, made ofstainless steel (although a combination of aluminum and stainless steellayers, or any other suitable material can be utilized in alternativeembodiments), which is attached to the bottom of pan body 220. Slab 226is braised to the bottom of pan body 220 using a suitable solder, suchas an 1170 melt solder. Although not shown in FIG. 18, pan 210 includeshandle 40 connected to pan body 220 via bracket/receiver 230. Springclips 80 releasably secure handle 40 to receiver 230. RFID tag, 60, isconnected to temperature sensor 70 via wires, 72, and RFID tag 60 isstored in a cavity located within handle 40. Gasket 90 is locatedbetween receiver 230 and handle 40. In a preferred embodiment, slot 222is machined into the base of pan body 220 after pan body 220 has beenmanufactured. In this manner, a wide variety of preexisting pan bodiescan be utilized without the need of special manufacturing processes forthose bodies. In another preferred embodiment, pan body 220 is of 5 plyconstruction, as discussed above. In this embodiment, slot 222 is milledinto pan body 220 so that sensor 70 is placed in contact with thealuminum core of pan body 220.

FIGS. 19 through 23 show several variations of a second embodiment ofpan 210 having a slab attached to the bottom of pan body 220, in whichslot 222 is formed in slab 226 instead of being milled in pan body 220.Locating slot 222 within slab 226 allows for a thinner wall thicknessfor pan body 220, and eliminates the need to perform any machiningoperations on pan body 220 once the body is manufactured (other thanbraising slab 226 to pan body 220). In a preferred embodiment of theslab base pan having a slot formed within the slab, slab 226 isconstructed of an aluminum layer (or aluminum alloy) and a steel layer(although any other suitable material can be utilized for slab 226depending upon the conductive, inductive and various other propertiesdesired). Slot 222 is formed in the aluminum layer to positiontemperature sensor 70 in contact with the heat conductive aluminum toprovide a more accurate temperature reading. The steel layer ispositioned opposite the side of slab 226 that contacts pan body 220 toprovide a durable, attractive finish to pan 210. In addition, the steellayer can be heated by induction if pan 210 is used on an inductionstove-top.

FIG. 19 shows a partial section view of slab-bottom pan 210 fullyassembled having a generally rectangular slot formed in the slab. As isshown in FIG. 19, the height and width of slot 222 milled into slab 226is slightly larger than that of temperature sensor 70. In addition thetotal height and width of wires 62 is less than the height and width oftemperature sensor 70. This provides enough space for insertion ofneedle 300 into slot 222 when receiver 230 is assembled to pan body 220and temperature sensor 70 and associated wires 62 are located in slot222. Needle 300 is inserted into slot 222 through injection port 231located at the bottom of lateral member 239 of receiver 230. As thepotting material fills slot 222, and surrounds temperature sensor 70 andwires 62, needle 300 is removed and injection port 231 is closed using aLaser, tig, or similar welding process.

The bottom of lateral member 239 of receiver 230 includes tab 233 thatfits within slot 222 of slab 226. As is shown in FIG. 19, the bottom oflateral member 239 extends below tab 233 slightly less than thethickness of slab 226 existing below tunnel 222 to provide a generallyflush bottom connection between slab 226 and receiver 230. Gap 225 ispositioned between the bottom of lateral member 239 of receiver 230 andslab 226 to allow for thermal expansion and contraction to slab 226 andreceiver 230 during heating and cooling of pan 210.

FIG. 20 shows a partial section view of slab-bottom pan 210 fullyassembled including a generally rectangular slot formed in the slab anda temperature sensor rod attached to receiver 230. Rod 310 is a rigidmember that connects sensor 70 to receiver 230 for easier insertion ofsensor 70 into pan body 220 during assembly. As is shown in FIG. 20, theheight and width of slot 222 milled into slab 226 is slightly largerthan that of temperature sensor 70. In addition the total height andwidth of wires 62 and rod 310 is less than the height and width of slot222, allowing wires 62, rod 310 and sensor 70 to all fit within slot222. Micro hole 228 is included at the bottom of slab 226 extending intoslot 222. Micro hole 228 allows for the injection of a potting materialinto slot 222 which surrounds temperature sensor 70 and wires 62. Oncethe potting material is injected into slot 222, micro hole 228 is closedusing a Laser, tig, or similar welding process.

FIG. 21 shows a bottom perspective view of receiver 230 presented inFIG. 20. The bottom of lateral member 239 of receiver 230 includes tab233 that fits within slot 222 of slab 226. As is shown in FIG. 21 (andFIG. 20), the bottom of lateral member 239 extends below tab 233slightly less than the thickness of slab 226 existing below tunnel 222to provide a generally flush bottom connection between slab 226 andreceiver 230. Gap 225 is positioned between the bottom of lateral member239 of receiver 230 and slab 226 to allow for thermal expansion andcontraction to slab 226 and receiver 230 during heating and cooling ofpan 210. Rod 310 is positioned within hole 315 located within tab 233.Wire channels 238 a and 238 b are included in tab 233 for wires 62 toextend from wire channel 238 of receiver 230 into slot 222.

FIG. 22 shows a partial section view of slab-bottom pan 210 fullyassembled including a generally cylindrical slot formed in the slab andan insertable tube attached to receiver 230. Tube 320 is a rigid memberconnected to receiver 230 into which sensor 70 is inserted for easierinsertion of sensor 70 into pan body 220 during assembly. Tube 320surrounds sensor 70 and wires 62, with the end of sensor 70 extendingbeyond tube 320. As is shown in FIG. 22, the diameter of slot 222 formedinto slab 226 is slightly larger than that of tube 320, allowing wires62, and sensor 70, located within tube 320, to all fit within slot 222.Hole 228 is included at the bottom of slab 226 extending into slot 222just in front of the end of tube 320. Hole 228 allows for the injectionof a potting material into slot 222 which surrounds temperature sensor70 and tube 320. Once the potting material is injected into slot 222,hole 228 is closed using a Laser, tig, or similar welding process.Receiver 230 also includes injection port 231 for injecting pottingmaterial into tube 320. The total diameter of wires 62 is less than thediameter of tube 230. This provides enough space for insertion of needle300 into tube 320 when receiver 230 is assembled to pan body 220 andtube 320, temperature sensor 70 and associated wires 62 are located inslot 222. Needle 300 is inserted into tube 320 through injection port231 located at the bottom of lateral member 239 of receiver 230. As thepotting material fills tube 320, and surrounds wires 62, needle 300 isremoved and injection port 231 is closed using a Laser, tig, or similarwelding process.

FIG. 23 shows an alternative embodiment of slab-bottom pan 210 includinga tunnel formed in slab 226. A stamped stainless steel tunnel, 227, ispositioned in slot 222 of slab 226. Tunnel 227 protrudes from the outerperimeter of slab 226 for engagement with wire channel 238 of receiver230.

Once the temperature controllable objects discussed above (either 10,110, or 210) have been manufactured an assembled, the RFID tags areinitialized and control algorithms and data are downloaded to the tags.The control algorithms and data can include such information as theclass of the object, i.e. sauce pan, frying pan, serving tray, warmingdish, etc. In addition, information regarding the location of thetemperature sensor can be included (i.e. side notch, bottom center,etc.) for use in determining ideal cooking temperatures. Heatingcharacteristics, such as conductivity of the materials of the object,thickness, number of layers, etc., can also be downloaded to the tag, oralternatively these characteristics can be used in determining the classof the object.

It will be appreciated that components from any of the embodiments ofheatable objects discussed above can be interchanged with similarcomponents of any of the other embodiments of heatable objects discussedherein. For example, the insert rod or insertable tube receiversdiscussed in connection with pans 210 could be utilized in connectionwith pans 110. Likewise, handles 40, 140, 50, and 150, as well assilicone gasket 90, and handle mounting hardware, can be interchangeablyutilized on any of pans 10, 110, and 210. In addition, the methods ofmanufacturing and locating the temperatures sensors (i.e. side-notch 10,tunnel-bottom 110, or bottom-slab 210) can be interchangeably utilizedwith any of the various pots and pans discussed an shown herein, as wellas in any cookware, servingware or other heatable objects now known orlater discovered.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because suchterms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadlyconstrued. Moreover, the description and illustration of the inventionsis by way of example, and the scope of the inventions is not limited tothe exact details shown or described.

Although the foregoing detailed description of the present invention hasbeen described by reference to exemplary embodiments, and the best modecontemplated for carrying out the present invention has been shown anddescribed, it will be understood that certain changes, modification orvariations may be made in embodying the above invention, and in theconstruction thereof, other than those specifically set forth herein,may be achieved by those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention, and that such changes, modificationor variations are to be considered as being within the overall scope ofthe present invention. Therefore, it is contemplated to cover thepresent invention and any and all changes, modifications, variations, orequivalents that fall with in the true spirit and scope of theunderlying principles disclosed and claimed herein. Consequently, thescope of the present invention is intended to be limited only by theattached claims, all matter contained in the above description and shownin the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative andnot in a limiting sense.

Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of theinvention, the manner in which the invention is constructed and used,the characteristics of the construction, and advantageous, new anduseful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices,elements, arrangements, parts and combinations, are set forth in theappended claims.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

1. A radio frequency identification controlled object comprising: atemperature sensor placed in contact with a heatable portion of theobject; and a radio frequency identification tag associated with saidtemperature sensor and located outside of a heat-generation zone for theobject, said tag being operable to communicate temperature informationobtained by said temperature sensor with a heating device.
 2. The radiofrequency identification controlled object as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid temperature sensor is placed in contact with a primaryheat-distribution layer of said heatable portion of the object.
 3. Theradio frequency identification controlled object as claimed in claim 2wherein said primary heat-distribution layer comprises an aluminum corefor the object.
 4. The radio frequency identification controlled objectas claimed in claim 3 wherein said heatable portion of the objectfurther comprises a ferromagnetic layer associated with said aluminumcore.
 5. The radio frequency identification controlled object as claimedin claim 1 wherein said temperature sensor is at least partiallyimbedded in said heatable portion of the object.
 6. The radio frequencyidentification controlled object as claimed in claim 5 wherein saidtemperature sensor is placed in contact with a primary heat-distributionlayer of said heatable portion.
 7. The radio frequency identificationcontrolled object as claimed in claim 5 wherein said temperature sensoris at least partially imbedded within a notch in said heatable portionof the object.
 8. The radio frequency identification controlled objectas claimed in claim 5 wherein said temperature sensor is imbedded withina tunnel in said heatable portion of the object.
 9. The radio frequencyidentification controlled object as claimed in claim 5 wherein said heatgeneration portion of the object comprises a primary base portion and aslab attached to a surface of said primary base portion, and whereinsaid temperature sensor is located between said primary base portion andsaid slab.
 10. The radio frequency identification controlled object asclaimed in claim 9 wherein said temperature sensor is located within aslot formed in said base portion of the object.
 11. The radio frequencyidentification controlled object as claimed in claim 9 wherein saidtemperature sensor is located within a slot formed in said slab.
 12. Theradio frequency identification controlled object as claimed in claim 1wherein said heatable portion of the object is heated by magneticinduction.
 13. The radio frequency identification controlled object asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said radio frequency identification tag islocated within a handle of the object.
 14. The radio frequencyidentification controlled object as claimed in claim 1 wherein theobject comprises a cookware object.
 15. The radio frequencyidentification controlled object as claimed in claim 1 wherein theobject comprises a servingware object.
 16. A radio frequencyidentification controlled object comprising: a temperature sensor atleast partially imbedded within a heatable portion of the object; and aradio frequency identification tag associated with said temperaturesensor, said tag being operable to communicate temperature informationobtained by said temperature sensor to a heating device.
 17. The radiofrequency identification controlled object as claimed in claim 16wherein said radio frequency identification tag is located remote fromsaid heatable portion of the object.
 18. The radio frequencyidentification controlled object as claimed in claim 16 wherein saidtemperature sensor is at least partially imbedded within a notch in saidheatable portion of the object.
 19. The radio frequency identificationcontrolled object as claimed in claim 16 wherein said temperature sensoris imbedded within a tunnel in said heatable portion of the object. 20.The radio frequency identification controlled object as claimed in claim16 wherein said heat generation portion of the object comprises aprimary base portion and a slab attached to a surface of said primarybase portion, and wherein said temperature sensor is located betweensaid primary base portion and said slab.
 21. The radio frequencyidentification controlled object as claimed in claim 20 wherein saidtemperature sensor is located within a slot formed in said base portionof the object.
 22. The radio frequency identification controlled objectas claimed in claim 20 wherein said temperature sensor is located withina slot formed in said slab.
 23. The radio frequency identificationcontrolled object as claimed in claim 16 wherein said heatable portionof the object is heated by magnetic induction.
 24. The radio frequencyidentification controlled object as claimed in claim 16 wherein saidradio frequency identification tag is located within a handle of theobject.
 25. The radio frequency identification controlled object asclaimed in claim 16 wherein the object comprises a cookware object. 26.The radio frequency identification controlled object as claimed in claim16 wherein the object comprises a servingware object.